[NoodleAquatics]

Branching out into higher light, but this 55g has been an ongoing project. Id like to share the work on it here.

Lighting:
1x Nicrew SkyLED Plus (left side)
1x JC&P 10" full spectrum (right side)

Light schedule:
6-8 hours daily.

Filtration:
1x Fluval Fx4 canister
1x 60g sponge

Heater:
Hitop 300w set for 75F

Water parameters:
GH 89.5ppm
KH 145ppm
pH 7.3
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10

Fertilizers:
API root tabs for the root feeders every 4-6 months
ThriveS 1x weekly

Water change regime:
75-90% weekly

Plants:
Duckweed
Hornwort
Water sprite
Anubias Hastifolia
Anubias Congensis
Anubias Lanceolata
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Bacopa caroliniana
Bacopa monnieri
Echinodorus Ozelot
Echinodorus "red diamond"
Echinodorus Bleheri
Ludwigia repens narrow
Hygrophila polysperma
Hygrophila polysperma rosanaverig
Moss (unsure of variety)
Sag species (unsure, a native variety collected from local river)
Taiwan lily
Java fern


Hardscape:
Rocks
Driftwood (elm branches and roots)


Fish:
Emperor tetras x8 (black strain)
Cherry barbs x6
Corydoras x33 (panda, trilineatus, paleatus, elegans, napoensis, CW028, ambiacus, loxozonus, leucomelas)
Ancistrus sp pleco x2
Hoplosternum Punctatum x3

Invertebrates:
1x assassin snail
Pest snails

 

[NoodleAquatics]

Added more water sprite, this time the broad leaved sprite.

 

[NoodleAquatics]

I organized up the floating plants, been taking off well with the duckweed.
A little bit of algae, but not bad. Nothing an algae scraper won't take care of off the glass and what finding a balance with light time won't hurt. Little fuzz of hair algae on the anubias plants and green spot on the glass in the exposed areas.

I could never keep duckweed alive ever, took 13 times to finally get it to take, I am so happy. Its covering the tank more and more every day and soon I can work on spreading it to my other tanks too!

Photo has lid off, but usually my lid is a clear polycarbonate sheet to fit both sides

 

[Blackheart]

Nice looking tank! I think you should add more taller plants to the background.

 

[NoodleAquatics]

Nice looking tank! I think you should add more taller plants to the background.

Theyre still filling in 😄
I got a echinodorus bleheri behind the rocks with the anubias that will fill in the space back there, and ive got the bacopa caroliniana that once it reaches the surface ill be trimming and replanting so that will also take up space too. And the tall sag grass will grow and fill in where it is at as well.

 

[Blackheart]

Great! What brand is your tank?

 

[NoodleAquatics]

Great! What brand is your tank?

Not 100% sure, I bought it second hand.



To update:
I moved some of my larger crypts from another tank to this one, since the fish didn't use the open valley as much, they like the new crypts better

 

[Blackheart]

Looking good! I am jealous of your large swords. I had to tear my tank down awhile back, and had a beautiful HUGE sword in it which turned to mush after I tore down the tank. I recently set the tank back up and can't seem to find anything like it now.

 

[NoodleAquatics]

I wasn't sold on where I first planted the crypts, so I tweaked with it. Also scooped some floaters to spread to my other tanks too.

 

[NoodleAquatics]

Looking good! I am jealous of your large swords. I had to tear my tank down awhile back, and had a beautiful HUGE sword in it which turned to mush after I tore down the tank. I recently set the tank back up and can't seem to find anything like it now.

I find they grow faster and fuller in brighter light and with lots of nutrients. I use root tabs with mine with good results. Just take slow to start, but once they get going, they really get going.

 

[Blackheart]

They seem to grow relatively fast for me. I have a 33 long with a finnex stingray so I have to assume its fairly low light. I just use ferts and root tabs.

 

[NoodleAquatics]

I did a big trim of the floaters, actually removing a lot to other tanks. I kept one stem of hornwort and the duckweed. That stem of hornwort actually measures 8 feet long! Its actually shocking lol I took it out to measure it, and hung it up on the door to take a reference photo.

I have it wrapped around the canister outlet twice to keep it anchored, its just so long and I have no plans to cut it! Gonna let it keep growing.

I trimmed the bacopa and replanted the trimmings as well.

I trimmed a softball sized ball of moss as well and sold it locally, til it grows again lol

 

[Blackheart]

Looking good. 8 feet long is ridiculous lol

 

[Plinkploop]

Lol I LOVE the reference picture!!!! I let hornwort grow for a year in one of my plant only tanks.... I had no other plants left and no tank for that matter. My 20G garbage can tank is doing the same thing with java moss right now.

 

[NoodleAquatics]

Moved out the hornwort to another tank, moved around some plants to better lit spots and trimmed some. Also trimmed out a couple more handfuls of moss.
My crypt pontederiifolia is insisting on sending out as many runners as it can to take over.

 

[NoodleAquatics]

Removed some of the stems as my hoplos have been digging them up and they're suffering from it. So moved those out.

Coming along

 

[NoodleAquatics]

Found a baby cherry barb living in my canister filter while cleaning it today too. Couple months old by looks of him. Crazy.

 

[Plinkploop]

😂 nice find!!

 

[NoodleAquatics]

This tank has changed significantly lol

 

[NoodleAquatics]

More work looking more like a lake bottom.

Will be waiting on my crypts to melt in protest of being moved around lol